To put it in simply, budget travel is travel for the budget-conscious. Budget travel can mean you agree to fly during off-peak seasons, stay in hostels or in economy accommodations, and eat cheap meals or street food compared to dinging in 5-star restaurants. Basically budget travellers take advantage of every aspect that saves them money while vacationing.

There is a slight difference between budget travelers and backpackers. While budget travelers usually don’t stay for a long period of time, backpackers extend their stays and live in budget motels with most of their necessities stored in their backpacks. For budget travel specifically, certain travel companies cater to money-minded vacations, such as Expedia, Kayak, TripAdvisor, and Airbnb. Budget travel is also a great option for solo travelers and flexible couples traveling together. Budget travel has a number of benefits, including:

• Hostels are cheap and communal so a great place to make new friends. It’s great to be surrounded by diverse people who are friendly and strike up a conversation.
• You can explore new terrains and regions that are not possible in expensive flights and hotel stays.
• Walking is a great means to explore the region at your own pace.
• You can indulge in delicious street food, usually not available in expensive packages.
• It’s the best way to explore the hidden gems of any destination.
• Most important of all, you don’t need to have a lot of money to travel.
• You can get to the heart of a country and its culture.
• You can face challenges head on and become a master of coping with new circumstances, while building independence and self esteem.
• You will become more grateful towards life and appreciate the simple pleasures.
• You will learn to communicate on the fly with locals.
• Budget travel helps you connect with your inner self.

Budget travel airlines
If you are looking to book a budget travel online, there are quite a few popular airlines that offer flights at budget prices, such as American Airlines, Southwest Airlines and United Airlines are the pioneers in providing budget flights for most part of the year, and to a multitude of destinations across the world. These airlines have an exclusive fleet specifically meant for budget travelers who are looking for a memorable vacation on a budget.

Tips to plan your budget vacation
To make the most of your budget trip, you need to calculate the big expenses while not overlooking the smaller ones. This includes, first, setting money aside for flight and accommodation. Second, creating a food budget depending on the duration of your travel. It’s also important to know the budget required for entertainment options and, in some cases, it has to be booked in advance. Last but not the least, preserving substantial money for small to moderate things (i.e., tours and trinkets) while exploring a destination. So keep a good amount of cash in hand. Additionally, buy an authorized travel insurance and some extra cash for unexpected expenses.